I am a lifelong over-packer. You just never know when you are going to need more clothes, do you? Over the course of any one week I will only wear two different pair of jeans. Exchanging one for the other after the first has become sufficiently dirty. This takes about 3 days, although has been known to stretch to 5 wears in a bad week.
But the thought of travelling for 3 weeks with only two pairs of jeans does not feel right. What if something gets spilt on them? I’m travelling with 2 little girls so that is a very real possibility. And what if every washing machine in Germany/Belgium/Amsterdam is BROKEN and I can’t wash anything for the entire trip?
And there are also all the other little things that you ‘might’ need – nail clippers, nail file, tissues, etc… These all need to be gathered and made room for.
I am TRYING to travel lightly. *snort* This means two smallish soft bags. (And I use ‘smallish’ in comparison to my other MASSIVE large soft bag, which is rouoghly the size of a coffin.) But, here’s the killer, I”m travelling with kids so not only do we have the two checked pieces of luggage we have one stroller, 2 carry-on bags, and two children’s car booster seats. German laws require kids to be in a booster seat until the age of 12, so even though we will only be in a car on the way from and then back to, the airport I have to lug them.